Machine for securing guard-pins in escape-levers



(No Model.) 6 SheetS-Sheet 1.

v G. E. HUNTER.

MACHINE FOR SECURING GUARD PINS IN ESGA'PE LEVBRS.

N0. 345,636. 6 Patented July 13, 1886.

IIIHIIIII mimmmmw I I I (No ModeL) Q a sheets-sheet 2.

' G. E. HUNTER.

MACHINE FOR SBUURING GUARD PINS IN ESCAPE LBVERS. No. 345,636.- Patented July 13. 1886.

(No Model.) j 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

I G. E. HUNTER. MACHINE FOR SECURING GUARD PINS IN ESCAPE LEVERS. No. 345,636.

Patented July 13, 1886 fil wdu m Wk 4 t e e h s m e e h S 6 R B T N H E G (No Model.)

MAGHINE FOR SECURING GUARD PINS IN ESCAPE LEVERS.

No. 345,636. Patented July 13', 1886.

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Rm t e e h S .P t nv nu h S 6 R E T N U H B G (No Model.)

MACHINE FOR SECURING GUARD PINS IN ESCAPE LEVERS. No. 345,636.

Patented July 13, 1886.

(N0 Model.)

6 Sh eets-Sheet- 6. Q

G. E. HUNTER. MAGHINE FOR SECURING GUARD PINS IN BSGAPB LEVERS.

Patented July 13,-1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. HUNTER, OF ELGIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELGIN NATIONAL VVATGH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR SECURING GUARD-PINS IN ESCAPE-LEVERS.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,636, dated July 13,1886.

Application filed April 1, 1886. Serial No. 197,454. (NomodeL) T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HUNTERpf Elgin, in the county of Kane and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Guard-Pin Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l is a perspective View of my machine. arranged for use. Fig. 2 is a like View of the upper spindle and its parts separated from each other. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the same combined, butseparated from the frame of the machine. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively perspective views of the table and its parts separated from each other and of the same combined. Fig. 6 is a vertical central section of the machine,and shows the normal positions of parts. Fig.7 is a like view ofthe same with the spindle moved downwai-dhntil the guard-pin has been driven to place. Fig. 8 is a vertical central section of the machine, and showsthe relative positions of parts after the upper cutter has performed its office. Fig. 9 is a like view of the same, and shows the relative positions of parts after the lower cutter has acted and Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively perspective views of the escape-lever before and after being operated upon by said machine.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention is designed to facilitate the securing of a guard-pin in place Within an escape-lever, and the subsequent removal of the surplus stock from the ends of said pin 5 and to this end it consists in an organization in which the parts are constructed and combined to operate in the manner and for the purpose substantially as hereinafter specified.

The work to be done by my machine is to secure within an opening, a, in one end of an escape-lever, A, a pin, B, which projects from the upper side of the same, and is known as a guard-pin, and for this purpose I employ the following construction, viz:

The frame 0 is composed of an upper cylindrical part, 0', and a lower cylindrical part,

0 that have the same axial line, but are separated by a lateral offset in said frame which leaves between their contiguous ends a space, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The lower end of said frame is screwed into or otherwise secured within a base, D,which,is adapted to be fastened upon a table so as to insure a vertical position for said frame.

Vithin the lower part, 0", of the frameGis provided an axial opening, 0, which, from its upper end downward about one half its length, has a diameter slightly greater than one-half the diameter of said part, While the lower half of said opening has about onehalf the diameter of its upper half.

Fitted loosely within the opening (2 is a block or table, D, which has the form seen in Figs. 4 and 5, its upper end or head having'a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the upper largest portion of said opening, while the lower portion of said table is adapted to fit into the smaller part of said opening. A spiral spring, E, placed around the smaller portion of said table,with its ends in engagement with the lower side of the head and with the lower end of the larger portion of said opening 0, presses said table upward with a yielding pressure, while a screw, F, secured withinthe lower end of said table, and extending downward to a guide, G, below, limits the upward motion of the same, while permitting. it to be moved freely in a downward direction.

Near the upper end of the tableD is ahorizontalopening,cl,which passes entirelythrough the same at its center, and for about one-half its length has about twice the diameter of the remainder. Withinsaidopeningislooselyfitted a correspondingly-shaped pin, H, and between the largest part of the latter and the inner end of the la-rgestpart of said opening is placed aspiral spring, h, that operates to hold said pin with a yielding pressure at the outer limit of its motion. The largest portion of the pin H projects from the table D into a radial slot, 0, which is cut in the side of thepart G and has such depth as to enable said table to be moved vertically the necessary distance. The outer end of said slot is inclosed by means of a plate, I, that extends slightly above the upper end of said part 0 and has its upper end beveled inward and downward. When said table is at theupper limit of its motion, as seen in Figs. 1 and 6, the outer end of said pin, which end is rounded, rests upon said inclined face i,- but if said table is moved downward, said pin will he forced longitudinally inward, as seen in Fig. 9. The pin 11 has such length as to cause it to extend about twothirds the distance through the opening 11 when the table D is at the upper limit of its motion, and at a point at or slightly in front of said end is provided a vertical opening, 01, which extends entirely through said table and has such diameter as to enable a gnard-pin, B, to be inserted within the same from its upper end. The downward motion of said table causes said pin to move entirely across said opening (1, and by making the corners of its said end h sharp it will act as a cutter and sever said guard-pin, so as to leave projecting from the lever A a length equal to the distance between the face of said table and the upper side of said horizontal opening (I.

The upper portion or housing, of the frame 0 is provided with a round axial opening, 0', which extends from its lower end to or slightly beyond its longitudinal center, and has about one-half the diameter of said part. From thence upward for about one-half inch extends another opening, 0", which has about one-fourth the diameter of said opening 0', and from thence to the upper end of the frame has about twice the diameter of its lower end. Said opening a, while vertical, is not in a line axially with said opening a, but is placed slightly to one side of the axis of the same.

\Vithin the axial opening 0" is fitted a correspondinglyshaped s1eevc,K,whieh is adapted to slide longitudinally therein, and is provided with an axial opening, 7., that from its upper end, about one-third its length, has a diameter somewhat greater than within the lower part of said sleeve.

Fitted within the interior of the sleeve K is a spindle, L, which at its upper end is pro vided with a peripheral flange, Z, that extends radially over the contiguous end of the former. The lower end of said spindle projects through the corresponding end of said sleeve, and such projecting part is somewhat reduced in diameter. Over the projecting end Z of said spindle, and over the lower end of said sleeve 70', which at such point is somewhat reduced in diameter, is fitted a thimble, M, which interiorly is provided with two or more springjaws, m, by means of which said thimble is held in place, and is enabled to prevent independent upward movement of said spindle. The spindle L is provided with a longitudinal opening, I", which extends from its upper end nearly to its lower end, has the same diameter as the lower portion of the opening 0, and is in a line axially with the latter, and therefore slightly eccentric with relation to the axis of said spindle.

At a point slightly below the longitudinal center of the opening Z of the spindle L is seemed a block, M, below which is placed a spiral spring, N, and below the latter a plunger, O, that loosely fills said opening, and is held with a yielding pressure at the lower limit of the same. Said plunger is provided with an arm, 0, which has a slightly greater diameter than the guard-pin l3, and fits loosely into an opening, Z, that extends from said opening Z downward through the end of said spindle. Above the block M is a second spiral spring, I, and above the latterarod, Q, which loosely fills the opening Z", and extends upward through the opening 0, and near its upper end, within the larger portion of said opening 0, is provided with a collar, q, that loosely fills the latter.

From the lower end of the rod Q a pin, q, projects radially outward through verticallye'iongated openings Z, 75, and c, which are formed, respectively, in the spindle L, sleeve K, and frame-housing O. Said openings or slots Z and it" have the samelength,while said slot c has nearly three times such length. Said slots 0'' and It" are vertical and straight; but said slot 1 is arranged slightly oblique, so that when said pin is moved downward, said spindle will be partially rotated within said sleeve. A spiral spring, It, placed between the collar 9 and the lower end of the upper larger part of the opening 0", holds the sleeve K and spindle L with a yielding pressure at the upper limitof their motion, while a camlcver, S, which is pivoted within the upper slotted end of the housing 0, furnishes a means whereby said parts may be moved downward when desired.

The operation of the machine is as follows, Viz: An escape-lever, A, is placed upon the table D,with the smaller end of the guard-pin in the opening (1, after which the cam-lever S is turned, so as to move the sleeve K and its attachments downward. The arm 0 of the plunger 0 now engages with the upper end of said guard-pin, and forces the same downward firmly into its opening a, when the resistance of the spring N will be overcome, and the farther downward motion of said sleeve will cause said plunger to be pressed relatively upward, the positions of parts being shown in Fig. 7. The lower end of the spindle L being now seated upon the escape-lever A, the rod Q will be moved downward within the slots 7.? and l, and said spindle thereby caused to have a partial rotation, by which means the opening Z at the lower end of the latter will be moved out of coincidence with the opening (7, of the table D, and by such operation the pin B, above said escapelevcr, will be sheared off close to the face of the latter, the relative positions of parts being shown in Fig. 8. The farther downward movement of said sleeve and spindle will now cause said table to be depressed, when, as before stated, the pin H will be moved inward, so as to cut off the surplus portion of said guard-pin, and leavcprojecting below said escape-lever the predetermined amount.

Having thus deseribed my invention, what I claim is- 1. As an improvement in the manufacture 2. As an improvement in the manufacture of watch-movements, an organization in which are combined, with means for supporting anescape-lever in position, means for forcing a guard-pin into an opening in thelever, means for cutting off said pin flush with one face of said lever, and means for removing the surplus length from said pin at the opposite side of the same, said mechanisms being arranged to operate in the order named, substantially 20 as and for the purpose shown.

3. As a means for cutting off the surplus length from a guard-pin, a spring-supported table, which is provided with an opening for the reception of the projecting portion of the 25 guard-pin, and a cutter that is arranged at a right angle to said opening, and is automatically moved across or through the same whenever said table is depressed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 0

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of March, A. D. 1886.

GEO. E. HUNTER.

WVitnesses:

W. P. HEMMENS, W. H. OLoUDMAN. 

